Process for separating minerals.



No. 851,600. PATENTBD APR. 23, 1907.

- Jr?. LATIMBR.

PROCESS POR SEPARATING MINERALS.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 27, 190e.

LATIMEE, or TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

Specification of Letters Patent. p

PROCESS FOR SEPARATING MINERALS.

`Patented April 23, 1907.

Application filed March 27, 1906. Serial No. 308,346.

To alli/.vbora III? may concern;

Be it-knownthat I, JAMES FRANoIs LATI- MER, a subject ofthe King of Great Britain, residing in the city of Toronto, in the county of York, inthe Province of Ontario, Canada,

' gal force to separate graphitic and similar removed therefrom and passing away by gravity, together with the wash water, and it consists essentially of the steps or operations hereinafter described.

The preferred construction of apparatus which I use is described in the following specification, together with my process.

In my copending application for apparatus for separating minerals, Serial Number 308,345, filed March 27, 1906, I claim the apparatus whereby I am enabled to carry out the process hereinafter described.

Figure l is al vertical central section through the major portion of my apparatus. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. l, showing a suitable means for deflecting the partly refined graphite or similar substance through a discharge opening. Fig. 3 is a plan view ofthe preferred means used for separating in the first instance the rocky matter or gangue from the graphite and similar substances, and Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line @-6, Fig. 1. l

In the drawings like characters Of'reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

A'is any-suitable cylindrical vessel, provided with a funnel-shaped bottom B, with the apex C of which connects a dischargepipe D.

E is any suitable screen suitably supported.within .the vessel A and of coarser mesh than the ground or divided rocky matter or gangue.` It will of course be understood that this screen fits within said vessel and immediately above the funnel-shaped bottom of same, thus dividing the vessel into two compartments.

F are a number of armsradiating from a central ring G. These arms rest upon the top of the bottom B and form suitable supports for the screenE. As these arms are .narrow and few in number, they of course do not interfere with the passage of material through the said screen.

H is a hollow shaft, the lower end of which passes through the screen E and ring G. In order to additionally support this hollow shaft H, I fit over same a collar I provided with a number of radiating arms t which are suitably attached to the vessel A. It will of course' be understood that the hollow shaft lH i free to turn in thering G, and thecol- Before the pulverized rocky matter or gangue is passed into the vessel A, it is thorou hly mixed with a suitable quantity of oil, and is then afterward thinned to the required consistency with water. Previous to passing the Oil-provided rocky matter or gangue into the vessel A, this vessel is partly lled with water, and by means of any suitable pulley J the hollow shaft H is revolved,

attached or secured thereto, to move around therewith. T hen the oil provided rockyA matter or gangue, is introduced into the vessel near the center thereof, and the valve C controlling the discharge-pipe D is partly opened, and at the same time water is admitted into the funnel-shaped bottom through the hollow shaft H and in such quantity that a' suitable portion will flow up through the screen E as shown by arrows and cause a slight overflow through the dischargeopening at the top of the vessel hereinafter described. The action of the arms or paddles K creates a centrifugal force, thus churning the rocky matter or gangue and water thoroughly so as to separate therefrom the raphite which gradually coheres and is forced to the top ofthe water. gal force carries the graphite to the side of the vessel A and to the top of the water, and as I provide -a deflecting plate L of suitable construction, the graphite is moved up said plate and through the discharge-opening M at the side of the vessel A near its top with The centrifu- IIO -of such volume as tomaintain the water within said vessel at substantially a constant volume so that the'graphite or similar substances separated from the rocky matter' or gangue will be at the proper level so as to be deflected into the discharge-pipe N. In other words the amount of waterl passing 'through the discharge-pipes D and N is e ual 'to the amount of water fed through the ollow shaft II. The funnel-shaped bottom conveys the refuse rocky matter or gangue directly to` the discharge-pipe D and prevents any possibility of the vessel A becomin choked.

It will .be noticed that the yhollow shaft H is directly above theldischarge-pipe D: I preferably so place these parts of my apparatus so that a portion of the feed water will pass directly into said discharge-pipe and insure its being thorou hly flushed.

Although may use any suitable paddles or other means to create the necessary centrifugal force, I preferably construct these paddles as follows.: O is a collar suitably secured to the hollow shaft H as by set screws o. This collar is provided with a number of lugs P provided with horizontal `holes in which rest the stems Q`of said-paddles`K. By means of the set-screws R operating in the lugs P, the paddles K are held in the desired position by means of their stems Q From Fi s. paddles Ii are given a slight longitudinal turn so that in their action they will have a tendency to eXert an upward force, thus assisting the separation of the graphite from the rocky matter or gangue. By the construction just described, it will be understood that I can adjust said'paddles longitudinally, axially, and" vertically. The deflecting plate L is 'shaped so as to fitl against the inner side of the vessel A, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it is held at a downwardly-extending angle, thus providing an inclined plane up which graphite or similar substances pass. By

- providing this deflecting plate L with a side -1, the conveying away lof the graphite or similar substances from the vessel A is facililgated. Y

The partly refined graphite after it leaves the vessel A is passed in .to a vessel 2. Operating in thisvessel are a plurality of paddles 1 and 3, it will -be seen that theaaioo I or blades 3 suitably secured to a revolving shaft 4. Through the action of the paddles or blades 3 the graphite is Worked thoroughly by the dill'erent masses being cut by saidblades and moved in. the direction indicated by arrows With'round tails. By means of a waterpipe 5, Water is introduced into the vessel 2 at the opposite end yto where the graphite is introduced thereinto. It will be noticed that the paddles or blades 3 are placed at a suitable angle so that during the operation of the shaft 4 they -work or move the graphite against the flow of the Water which is indicated by arrows provided with crossed tails. And as the vessel 2 is supported at an angle, the rocky matter or gangue that was not separated from the graphitic substance in the first vessel A, is removed from said graphitic substance and. passed by gravity, together with the stream of water, down the bottom of said vessel 2 toward discharge-end of same and out through the discharge-pipe 6. 7 is any suitable cock controlling the flow from said discharge-pi pe 6. Over the opening of the discharge-pipe 6 leading from the vessel 2'is any suitable screen 8 of suflicient mesh to permit ofthe separated rocky matter or gangue passing therethrough. l By dotted lines in Fig. l will be seen the height at which the water is preferably maintained within the vessel 2. As soon as the graphite has been movedlup to the discharge-end of the vessel 2, it is forced thereout through the discharge-pipe 9. In case it should be necessary to further refine the graphite, it is conveyed by any suitable means, (such as an endless belt 10 operating over pulleys 11 in a frame 12) into a second vessel 14 shown immediately below the vessel 2, and is subjected to the same action thereWithin as before described, as ths vessel 14 is constructed similar to the vessel 2. 13 is any'suitable water pipe for feeding water into the vessel' 14. By means of' the pulleys 15 and 16 secured respectively to the shafts 4 and 17 and the belt 18, the paddles or blades Within said vessels 2 and 14 vare operated. The angle at which the blades or paddles are placed is such that they compel the mass of the graphite to move forward and upward to the discharge-pipe 9. The an le at which these blades are placed insures t e swath orpath of movement of any one blade being overlapped by the swath or path of movement of the bades immediately above or below same, thus insuring thorough Working of the masses of graphitic substance.

By means of the second step in the refining of the graphite I am enabled to produce a product from which all of the rocky matter or gangue has been removed.

If desired, I may have any suitable pipe or conduit 19 'to direct the graphite passing from the vessel A down in'to the vessel 2.

By placing the vessel 2 belowthenvessel A it will be understood that I utilize gravity for the feeding of the graphite-into the said vessel 2.

The pasty mass of graphite after it passes through this apparatus, is then pressed by any suitable'means so as to remove water and a portion ot' the oil7 and the remaining portion of the oil is converted into 'commercial lampblack by combustion in a suitable furnace, or recovered by distillation.

Molybdenit is treated in preci same manner as graphite.

I do not coniine myself to any particular form oi` apparatus for carrying out my recess.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The process of separating graphite and similar substances from rocky matter and gangue, consisting in mingling the crushed ore with oil; delivering the oil-provided mass to; and maintaining it in, an upilowing current of water; centriihigally agitating the mass to separate the components and so accelerate the current as to carry the oil-provided graphite to the top of the water; flowing the so separated graphite away; settlin sely the the gangue through a current of reduced speed below the zone 1n which the material is l'ed and agitated, and removing said gangue by a downwardly-l'lowing current.

LZ. 'lhe process of separating graphite and similar substances from rocky matter and gangue, consisting in minffling the crushed ore with oil; delivering the oil-provided l l l l l l l l i l mass to 3 and maintaining it in, an u'ptlowing current of water; centril'ugally agitating the mass to separate the components and so accelerate the current as to carry the oil-provided graphite to the top ol the water; vllowing `the so separated graphite away; settling the gangue through an upllowing current 'ol reduced speed below terial is l'ed and agitated, andrcmoving said gangue by a downwardly-llowing current.

3. 'lhe process ol separating graphite and similar substances from rocky matter and gangue, consisting in mingling the crushed ore with oil; delivering the oil -provided mass to: and maintaining it in, an upl'lowing current oll water; centriifugally agitati'ng the mass to separate the components and so aecelerate the current as to carry the oil-pro vided graphite to the top ol' the water; llowing the so separated graphite away; settling the gangue through an upllowing current ol" reduced speed below the zone in which the material is fed and agitated, and removing said gangue, below the Zone in which the material is led and agitated, by a downwardlyflowing current of greater speed than said upilowing current of reduced speed.'

1n testimony whereof 1 have signed mv naine to this specilication in the presence ot two subscribing witnesses.

JAM ES FRANClS LATIMER, Witnesses: f

L. G. Si-IARPE, y

F. MoDnRMo'r'r.

the zone in which the 1na' 

